1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and more specifically to a system and method for displaying user-selected information on a user's computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As computer systems and data communications become increasingly widespread, more and more users are able to perform a high percentage of their daily tasks over various communication networks. For example, many users are able to obtain key information in a timely manner through the use of interconnected software and hardware systems.
Because of the great wealth of information available, it often becomes time consuming for a user to keep up with items and events of interest. In some cases, a dedicated window may be included on a user's desktop to provide information about high priority items. For example, a streaming stock quote ticker may be resident on a user's desktop to enable them to keep up with selected stock market information. However, the number and variety of sources of potentially interesting information is so large that this type of dedicated approach can work for only a small number of sources.
Often, a user is required to access a database or other source of information in order to determine whether an event of interest has occurred. This can be relatively time consuming, and often results in undesirable delays if the user is unable to check the required sources often enough.
Another approach is to automatically send notifications directly from an application to a user when selected events occur. This requires coding of the necessary handling and routing modules within the application. This can become a significant burden from the application writer's standpoint, and can lead to inconsistencies in the way message notifications are presented to users.
In addition, when an application contains code to send notifications to users, the user generally loses the ability to select which messages he or see wishes to see. To build into each application code which would allow every user to tailor messages as they saw fit is a task of such complexity that it is not practical to provide such a feature.
It would be desirable to provide a system and method for allowing a user to customize a window which informs them of items of interest to the user. It would be further desirable for users to have the capability of receiving selected categories of events which the owner of executing applications believes will be of interest to the user.